Clinical Research Nursing: Development of a Residency Program

Clinical research nurses are essential in the coordination of clinical trials and the management of research participants. Without a stable, knowledgeable research nurse workforce, the conduct of research is affected. A research nurse residency is a novel approach to preparing new graduate nurses for the oncology research nurse role. This article will describe the development and content of the research nurse residency and how this approach is being used to address a need for clinical research nurses to support burgeoning clinical trials at a National Cancer Institute–designated comprehensive cancer center.

AT A GLANCE

• Clinical research nurses play a vital role in the conduct of clinical trials.
• Training of clinical research nurses, as well as the evaluation and revision of training to ensure competency, is variable.
• A collaborative 12-month research nurse residency for new graduate nurses was created to help alleviate the issues of recruitment and retention of clinical research nurses.